Preventing corrosion of electrolytic condenser leads



Dec. 8 1925- C 1.565

R. D. MERSHON PREVENTING CORROSION OF ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSER LEADS Fgled D90. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E h 0 0 9 Q BS n \1 w: r N o O m 8% 25% Q \L N I 5 q j M k 1 Or M a O O L N Q q y OINVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1925 R. D. MERSHON PREVENTING CORROSION 0F ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSER LEADS Filed Dec. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i l l il li l/IHIIIIIIIIIIIHH Dec. 8, 1925- R. D. MERSHON PREVENTING CORROSION OE ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSER LEADS Filed Dec, 25, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Il/IIlIl/IIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIII //lIll/I/ll/IIl/lllllllllll !IIllllIIIll/II/ll/llllI/III/I/I/ //IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlI/IlIl/IIIIIII:

IIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIII INVENTDR ATTOR EYS Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES) RAJEIPH D. MERSHON, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

rnnv'nnrme connosron or ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSER LEADS.

Application ma Depeinber 2s, i920. Serial No. 482,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. MERSHON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imprrovements in Preventing Corrosion of lectrolytic Condenser Leads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the operation of electrolyticI condensers the leads extending out from the electrolyte to connect the active electrodes to'the external circuit are often subject to corrosion,

which, it unchecked, eventually destroys the. metal and so puts the condenser out of operation. This corrosion occurs even in condensers of the excited type, in which a source of unidirectional current is employed to prevent reversal of film stress. The excitation is effective to prevent corrosion of the electrodes and those portions of the leads immersed in the electrolyte, but is not always effective to prevent corrosion of the leads at points outside the electrolyte. As theresult of extended experience with electrolytic apparatus in general and condensers in particular I have been led to believe that the corrosion is due in most if not all cases to the more or less conducting film of moisture, electrolyte, salt, or other material deposited from the electrolyte, upon, and between, the insulators through which the alternating current leads extend for connection to the external circuit; and to the action of this film (which I shall designate as the moisture film to distinguish it from the dielectric film on the electrodes and leads) as a sort of secondary electrolyte, in which reversal of film stress occurs. The present invention is accordingly directed to obviating the trouble and its chief object is to provide a simple and effective method of preventing such reversal of film stress.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 represents a simple condenser of the.

excited type, having active electrodes (01' anodes as they may be conveniently termed) of large area relative to the elecr trode (or cathode) by which the negative ,pole of the exciting source is connected to the electrolyte.

Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the cathode is a wide cathode, between the anodes. Fig. 3 is a diagram in which the anode and cathode leads, and the moisture film on the underside of the cover,

are considered as forming-a separate from denser, represented at Y, distinct from the main electrodes and.electrolyte forming the condenser X. In these three figures the flow of current (both alternating and unidirectional) in the electrolyte is indicated In a rough way by the double-headed and singleheaded arrows respectively.

Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in which the condenser formed by the leads and the moisture film is excited by a highervoltage than that impressedon the main condenser composed of the anodes, cathode and main electrolyte.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment which is similar to that of Fig. 4 but in which an additional exciting source is provided for the purpose of exciting the' moisture-film condenser at a higher voltage. K v

Fig. 6 is a sectional side View representing, less diagrammatically than Fig. 1', a simple condenser of the excited type. This figure shows the tank-cover and insulators, and indicates the moisture film by means. of a dotted line. 1 I

Fig, 7 is a .plan view, and Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are sectional side views, illustrating various methods of preventing corrosion of the anode leads.

cated by lines 7"7" of Fig. 7*, showing a wide cathode which is narrowed below the surface of theelectrolyte to accommodate longitudinal busbars immersed in the electrolyte and extending over the tops of the anodes.

Referring to Fig. 1: A A, represent a pair of anodes immersed in an electrolyte contained in a tank T, and connected to the alternating current circuit by means of the leads L, L. Across leads L, L, is a balance coil or autotransformer B, to the neutral point of which is connected the positive pole of a source S of unidirectional current (pulsating or uniform) to keep the electrolyte negatively charged. with respect to the anodes. The negative pole of the exciting source S is connected to a cathode K, composed of nickel, carbon, or other non-filming material, which is also immersed in the electrolyte. For a detailed explanation of the theory and operation of the excited electrolytic condenser reference may be had to my prior Patent No. 1,077,628. It may be stated, however, that if the negative charge the underlying metal to corrosion, with revent reversal of film stress.

negative-charge at its proper value.

sulting impairment of efiiciency of operation and ultimate destruction of the filmed portions. It has been found, however, that separate or external excitation of the condenser does not always suflice to revent corrosion of the leads at points outslde the electrolyte, and especially where they come in contact with other bodies, such as the insulators through which they are brought through the cover of the tank. As will be clear from the patent above referred to and from other patents and applications of mine bearing upon the same subject, particularly application Serial No. 398, 914, the negative 0 rar e maintained in the electrolyte by the unidirectional exciting voltage must, in order to be fully effective in safeguarding the dielectric filmson the anodes and leads, be of such value as Wlll. prevent reversal of film stress on the films. That is, the voltage vof the charge with respect to the anodes and leadsmust never be-less'than one half the instantaneous value of the alternating'voltage effective between the anodes; which means,'in general, that in the operation oi the condenser the voltage of the charge should be maintained at not less than half of the maximum instantaneous value. Suppose Fig. 1 represents a condenser in Which the resistance of the electrolyte is so low that it may be ignored, and in which the relationbetween the exciting voltage and the alternating voltage is just such as will pre- Iriasmuch as there will always be some leakage throu h the dielectric films tending to neutralize t e negative charge in the electrolyte, there will alwaysbe more or less current supplied by the unidirectional source S,through the lead L to ofi'set this tendency and maintain the Now suppose a resistance (not shown) be introduced into the lead L, causin a CR drop due to the exciting current an thus diminishing the unidirectional voltage effective" -f0r maintaining the negative "charge. The

result is a diminution of the voltage of the charge and. a departure from the relation necessary to preventireversal of film stress. There will then be a periodic reversal of film on the anodes anduleads. The amount and rapidity ot 'thisi'mpairment will depend upon the amount of the reversed film stress. It the value of the exciting voltage from the t ource S be increased sufiiciently to compen- I the patln strictly true to say that the resistance-of the stress tending/to impair thedielectric filmsv for maintaining the negative charge, then the reversal of film stress will cease. This illustrates one of the reasons why the total exciting voltage sup lied 'b the unidirectional source is usua ly ma e greater than that theoretically necessary to maintain the negative charge at a value to prevent reversal of film stress; that is,.in order to compensate for CR dro in the source 01 unidirectional current itself, andv in the leads therefrom; an'd'for such drop as there may be in the electrolyte ('which necessarily has some resistance), effective in'the exciting circuit only, due to the disposition of the cathode, its small size, etc. that, things being as at firstassume instead of introducing a resistance into the lead L we introduce-a resistance, as R, B, into either or both the leads L. (If resistance be introduced into both leads the two resistances may be equal or unequal.) Such 'a proceeding will not produce reversal of film stress. For, althou h the exciting current will have to flow trough these resistanccs, thus producing CR dropin the exciting circuit, the alternating current will also have to flow through themproducing a CR drop in the A. C. circuit roportionately as great as, or greater than,'t at in'the exciting circuit. Hence the voltage of the negative charge will not fall below that necessary to nating current flows'fthrou'gh; the resistance or.resistances.- On th-=otheihand,-.the :exciting current divides, part'gfiowing through i the single resistance and part-through the other A-..'O. lead, or part through each, resistance when two are emplo edii Weshould not, strictly speaking, say t at* the excitingcurrent and the alte-rnatingcurrent have identical paths or even common paths, s1ncc all of the alternating current flows through the whole path and only part of.

the exciting current through each part of For a similar reason, it is not inwhat follows in dealing with "con itions But su pose Inn which if uncompensated for woul similar, or similar in efl'ect, to that in which resistance is introduced into one or both of v the alternating current leads. Such expressions willbe employed. both in the descriptive matter and in the'claims, in reading which, the significance of the expressions should be borne in mind.

It may be stated, therefore, that wherever tion between the va ue of the exciting volt-- age and the value of the alternating voltage is that which,would prevent reversal of film stress if .the resistance of the common pat-h were zero. And" it may also be stated that if, in a part of the path of the exciting current. not identical, there be a voltage drop,

result in reversal of film stress, reversal of film stress will be prevented if the exciting voltage be raised to a value to compensate for this voltage drop.

Now what will hold for resistances outside the electrolyte will hold for resistances inside the electrolyte. That is, for the resistance of the electrolyte itselff For instance, suppose, as before, Fig. 1 represents a condenser the resistance of whose electrolyte is entirely negligible and the relation between whose two voltages is such as to just prevent reversal of film stress. Then if the low resistance electrolyte be replaced by a high resistance one, there will be reversal of film stress. For, in the case of Fig. 1, the alternating current and the exciting current have not identical or equal resistance paths, both because the area of each of the anodes is greater than that of the cathode and because the cathode is not between the anodes, but off at one side. This is clearly shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, the double headed arrows indicating the flow of alternating current between the anodes and the single headed arrows indicating the flow of exciting current from the anodes to the cathode. If, however, we were to employ the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, in which the tank is assumed to be of glass or other suit.- able insulating material and in which the cathode forms a partition between the anodes such that no current can flow around its edges, then, no matter how high the resistance of the electrolyte, there can be no reversal of film stress if the relation between the alternating voltage and the unidirectional exciting voltage be such as to prevent reversal of film stress in an electrolyte of negligible resistance. This will be true whether the cathode be placed, as shown in Fig. 2, midway between the anodes or nearer one than the other. In Fig. 2 the paths of the alternating and exciting currents are com- 'relatively small area.

A, A, and the cathode K'o Y-to be in the F mon or identical and the paths of the alternating and exciting currents in the electrolyte have the same resistance. It in Fig. 2 the cathode be not brought out to the sides and bottom of the tank but a space left through which alternating current may flow around the ed es of the cathode, then the alternating and exciting current paths will not be identical and, under the conditions previously assumed, reversal of film stress can take place. But? as explained above such reversal canbe prevented by rais ing the value of the excitingwoltage. Similarly, the tendency "toreversal due to a high resistance electrolyte mgr i T1 can be overcomeby sufiiciently raising t 'e value 01 the exciting voltage. f Suppose we have two condensers, X and Sup-pose one of them, X, is of the usual type, that is, its anodes A, A, having relatively large areaca-nd its cathode K a Sup ose the anodes form of rods. Suppose the resistance of the electrolyte of X to be relatively low, and that of Y to be very high. Suppose also that the exciting volt-age be adjusted to that value which will just prevent reversal of film stress in X. Then there will be reversal of film stress in Y. Since the resistance of the part ofthe exciting current path in Y which is not identical with the alternatingcurrent'path is much higher than the corresponding path in X, we might 'film and whose electrodes are the leads to the anodes and cathode of the main condenser X. If. we operate the main condenser- (X) at an exciting voltage of such value as to just prevent reversal of film stress, or even if, in order to take care of various operating contingencies, we operate it at a considerably higher voltage, we may,

.and undoubtedly do in many cases, have reversal of film stress in the moisture film electrolyte, with resultingcorrosion of the leads. We might overcome this corrosion by raising the excitingvoltage to such a value as to pievent reversal-of film stress in the moisture film electrolyte, but in many Y, as in Fig. 3, connected in multiple both "as totheir A. 0. leads. and their exciting leads.

raise the excitlng voltage to a point where l. main electrodes; or by ase eme involving two sources of exciting voltage. In the former case the resistance would be in the cathode lead between thecathode lead terminal and the cathode proper. It might be just belowthe cathode insulator and above the condenser. electrolyte. Or we mi ht, make use of the expedient of Fig.5 which employs a second cathode immersed in the 'moisture film electrolyte and not in the main electrolyte andwlnch has a hlgher: exciting.

voltage impressed upon ,it either by means of the additional s urce of exciting voltage shown, or by inea'nsfof a resistant-mused in; the way indicated in Fig.4." In. this case, the main condenser X" will beexc1ted"by.

means of the cathode K (common to both electrol tes) and the moisture film-con would be excited by' means "of the auxiliary cathode K. There wouldfbeiai; tendency for leakage of unidirectional;cursrent between K and'K through the'mois denser ture film between them.- The lead to the cathode K might be inside (concentric withand insulated from) the aux'iliarym'cathe ode K". r But the preferable method-of preventing reversal of film stressin the moisture film is that of insuring that the alternating cur-'- rent leakage paths and the exciting leakage path in this film shall be identical or substantially so. Some of the methods ofac- ('omplishing' this are as follows:

Referring to Fig. 6, A, A, represent a air of anodes immersed in an electrolyte i and connected to the external alternating current circuit by means of leads L, L, brought out throu h insulators mounted in the cover C of t e vessel or tank (not shown) containing theeleotrolyte. The insulators are of the inverted cup ty e. For simplicity it is first assumed that t e cover 0 is of glass or other suitable insulating material. The moisture film is indicated by the dotted line B lying'over the surface of the insulators and upon the under surface of the cover' -between the insulators. It is evident that-here the moisture film leakage paths the alternating and exciting currents are far -fromybeing identical, the departure from this condition being due to the. moisture film between the anode lead insulators and the 'cathode"insulator, and

also, especially, to the film over the cathode insulator. It'is evident that this de arture from being identicaliyilleausea Bsdrop of exciting Volta ein addition to that 00 curring in the a ternating-current leakagepath, and, if the resistance of the moisture lilm' between t e anode insulators and the cathode insulator, and over the surface of the latter, be sufiiciently great, this addi tional drop of exciting voltage may be great enough to permit reversal Off'film quently the case.-salts or other solid material from the electrolyte build. up on one or both of'the anode leads (without so building up on the cathode lead) until they touchthe inside surface of the anode insulator near its lower edge, thus short-circuiting, wholly orQin part, the moisture film inside'the anode insulator.

accumulation of solid orsemi-solid material on thelead. One method, eilective in many cases, for practically eliminating the condition just explained, and of preventing corrosion, is to put the cathode between the anodes, as in Fig. 7, for example. In this figure, which shows four anodes'connected in groups of two with the balance coil 'or autotr'ansf'ormer B across the groups, the

cathode is divided into three, K, K, K, which are arranged between the anodes A.

The cathodes are wide,'extending to the sides of the tank. At the present time .it is the practise to connect the anodes to busbars' inside the tank, with one lead extending out from each busbar. In such case it is usually sufficient to employ a single cathode, ar-

ranged between the bu'sbar-leads, as shown at K in Fig. 7, the cathode being'narrowed below the surface of the electrolyte as in Fig. 7, to ermit the busbars P, P, to extend over t 1e anodes. Now any leakage current between the anode leads must pass over the cathode insulators I, and hence the A. O. and exciting current leakage paths will approximate the condition of being identical and having the same resistance any reversal of film stress may be prevented for the reasons set forth in connection with Fig. 2.

Evidently, the explanation given above for a glass cover will not be invalidated as for example iron. In such case the leakage current will pass from the deuosit of moisture or salt on-the insulator mto the metal. of th'eficover, then through In such case the anode leads are always corroded 'under the by making the cover of nonfilming metal,

the me tal to the deposit on the other insulator; or, if the resistance of the metal be high relative to that of the deposit on the metal, some of the leakage current will flow through the metal and some through the deposit thereon.

If the cover is made of aluminum or other filming metal instead of glass, an insulating film will be formed on it where the exciting current leaves the metal of the cover to go into the film or deposit of moisture or salt on the cathode insulator, but where the exciting current leaves the anode insulator and flows into the metal of the cover it will tend to destroy all oxid film, even that produced by the alternating leakage current. This will have the effect of introducing a greater resistance into the exciting current leakage path than into the leakage path of the alternatin current, which, as explained above, wil tend to give the latter free rein along its leakage path. On the other hand if the cover isexcited by connection with the positive ole of the exciting source, after the met 0d described in my copending application Serial No. 410,- 344 current cannot flow into the metal of the cover from the moisture or salt de posit thereon. Accordingly the behavior of the cover, although made of metal, Wlll in such case be substantially as iiit were made of glass or other insulating material and the action will on the whole be as described above in the discussion of the glass cover.

There are various other ways of appr0ximating the desired e uality of resistance. One very eifective met od is to extend the insulators (at least the anode insulators) into the electrolyte, as in Fi' .-8, in which the lower end of the anode insulators I, I, are immersed in the electrolyte. Clearly, all alternating leakage currents tending to flow intoeither anode or either anode-lead must ass throu h portions of the electrolyte (o relatively low resistance) which are also the paths of the unidirectional exciting current tending to flow from the anodes and anode-leads to the cathode.

A similar result can be obtained by fitting into or around the insulators of the anodeleads tubes of non-conducting material, which extend down into the electrolyte, as

the tube 2', Fig. 9. In this case the tube should fit closely enough to insure that the deposit of moisture, salt or other material, on the inside of the insulator, will be continuous with or in good contact with the deposit on the outside of the tube.

The method that is in some respects the most practical is illustrated in Fig. 10, and consists in providing at least one of the anode-lead insulators with an electrical con-' nection to the cathode, as for example by means of bands 6 of cathode metal surrounding the leads inside or outside of the Now any leakage between the anode-leads must flow into one or the other of the bands, and hence must take a path which 'is cqua-ll good for the exciting current, the desiragle condition above mentioned being thus realized. only one band need be used, since the one band will interrupt all leakage current from or to either lead. If there are more than two anode-leads coming out of the tank all the insulators maybe banded, but at least Y all those around leads of the same polarity should be banded.

Still another form of thla invention is iilustrated in Fig. 11. Here the anode-lead insulators, I, are provided, inside or outside, with tubes K of cathode metal extending down into the electrolyte and either connected to a main cathode, or connected directly to the exciting source S thus themselves constituting the cathode. These tubes then combine the advantages of the wide cathode, illustrated in Fig. 7 and of the bands 6, 1), shown in Fig. 10.

Another method is to use a tank and cover composed of non-filming metal, connecting these parts to the negative pole of the exciting source, thus making the parts named the cathode. For various reasons however this method is not desirable, among lVith only two anode-leads which reasons may be mentioned the corliquid-tight joint.

E is to be understood that the invention I is not limited to the devices herein specifically illustrated and described but can be embodied in other forms 'without departure from its spirit. i

What I claim is a 1.. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having means to prevent reversal of film stress along leakage paths outside of the electrolyte.

2. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having means to prevent reversal of film stress on the arts of the anode leads which are outside 0 the electrolyte.

3. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, in which the moisture film is sup died with exciting current at a voltage sufiicientl high to prevent reversal of film stress on t e anode leads.

4. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, in which the alternating current leakage and the exciting current leakage take paths having substantially equal resistance. w

5.. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, in which the alternating current leakage and exciting current leakage ,take substantially the same. paths.

6. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having a wall 5 through which leads extend for connection with an alternating current circuit and a source of unidirectional exciting current, in combination with means associated with said wall for causing alternating current leakage and exciting current leakage to take paths of substantially equal resistance.

7. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having a wall through which leads extendfor connection with an alternating current circuit and a source of unidirectional exciting current, in combination with means associated with said wall for causing alternating current leakage and exciting current leakage to take substantially the same paths.

8. An electrolytic condenser having means signature.

for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having a wall through which leads extend for connection with an alternating current circuit and a source of unidirectional exciting current, in combination with conducting means associated with at least one'of the alternating current leads but insulated therefrom and connected with the source of exciting current.

9. Anelectrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having a wall through which leads extend for connection with an alternating current circuit and a source of unidirectional exciting current, in combination with tubular insulators surrounding said leads, and conducting means associated withat least one of the insulators and surrounding the lead, and connected to the source of exciting current.

10. An electrolytic condenser having means for impressing unidirectional current on the condenser anodes, and also having a wall through which leads extend fore-onnection with an alternating current circuit and a source of unidirectional exciting current, in combination with tubular insulators surrounding the leads, and a conducting band arranged around'at least one of the insulators and connected to the source of exciting current.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my RALPH 1). MERSHON. 

